ARGIES GO WITH THE FLO
Argentina break Scots hearts but give Cameroon, Chile and New Zealand hope
Florencia Bonsegundo’s twice-taken penalty completed Argentina’s dramatic fightback against Scotland on Wednesday and also opened the door at the Women’s World Cup for four winless teams playing later yesterday.
Also in Group D, England and Japan were already through to the last 16 before meeting in Nice, where two goals by Ellen White secured a 2-0 victory and first place for the Lionesses with a maximum nine points.
Argentina fought back from three down to draw 3-3 in Paris to
eliminate the Scots as they climbed to third.
But they only have two points and are weakly placed in the battle to finish as one of the four best third-place teams. To advance, the Argentines need an unlikely pair of draws in yesterday’s final set of group games.
England will head to Valenciennes in northern France for a last-16 tie on Sunday against a third-placed side with China, Cameroon, New Zealand, Chile and even Thailand all potential opponents.
Scotland looked to be going through as one of the best thirdplaced sides when Erin Cuthbert’s 69th minute goal put them 3-0 up against Argentina at the Parc des Princes in Paris after earlier strikes from Kim Little and Jen Beattie.
However, Milagros Menendez replied with Argentina’s first goal of the tournament in the 74th minute, and then Florencia’s shot went in off goalkeeper Lee Alexander to set up a grandstand finale.
With two minutes left, after an agonising VAR review, Argentina were awarded a penalty.
Lee saved Florencia’s tame first attempt, but VAR caught the goalkeeper straying off her line and the Argentine converted her second effort in the fourth minute of stoppage time.
The draw left Scotland on one point, bottom of Group D and eliminated.
“We gave it our all for 70 minutes of the game. We were very good but we didn’t manage to see the game out, but at this moment in time we feel hard done by,” said Scotland’s disconsolate coach, Shelley Kerr.
England coach Phil Neville was happier, saying:: “We’ve got another clean sheet, we’ve won another game, we’ve played three and won three, and we’re just where we want to be, in the last 16, and are ready to attack the business end of the tournament.”